The
FaireyAviationCompany,
Ltd
was a British aircraft manufacturer of the
first half of
the 20th century, notable for a number of important
aircraft,
including the Fairey III family and the Fairey
Swordfish.Founded in 1916, Fairey merged with Westland
Aircraft in 1960.

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Fairey Rotodyne

The Fairey Rotodyne was the
culmination of more than 15 years research into compound orconvertible helicopters made
by the Fairey Aviation Company. Early trials were carried outbetween 1947 and 1956 and
XE521 was built in 1957 at Hayes, Middlesex as a prototype large compound helicopter,
powered by two Napier Eland turboshaft engines. Following several weeks of ground tests it
first flew at White Waltham on 6th November 1957, but did not complete the first full
transition from vertical to cruise flight until April 1958. On 5th January 1959 XE521 set
up a new convertiplane class (E2) speed record of 307.22 kph (190.9 mph) in the 100 km (62
mile) closed circuit category. The Rotodyne failed to secure any firm orders and the
project was cancelled in1962. The aircraft last flew on 26th January 1962 and was then
cut up and scrapped at RAE Farnborough. The museum located a number of major components
including an Eland engine, a complete test rotor blade, and several tip jets. These
components were airlifted to Weston-super-Mare by an RAF Chinook helicopter. After a long
period in storage, repair and restoration of the various parts began in 1995 and was
completed in 1996. The Helicopter Museum holds the only remaining major components of the
Fairey Rotodyne prototype.

Fairey Ultra-Light

The Fairey Ultra-Light helicopter was one of several projects
submitted in the mid 1950s to meet a British Army specification for a battlefield
reconnaissance and general-purpose helicopter. Built in 1955 at Hayes, Middlesex the 2
seat light observation helicopter was powered by a Blackburn-Turboméca Palouste BnPe 2
gas turbine engine. The first of six Ultra-Lights flew at WhiteWaltham in August 1955 and the machine in the
museum collection 'as the second prototype, which made its
first flight on 20th March 1956. It was eventually given a
modified nose to take a stretcher for promotion as a
casualty evacuation helicopter. In 1977 the aircraft was
rediscovered in a very derelict condition on a farm near
Harlow and joined the collection in 1978. It was moved to
Weston-super-Mare in May 1979 and put into storage to await
restoration. A set of original rotor blades, an engine and
the original tail unit were acquired. It is currently
undergoing long-term restoration at the museum.